Shock-absorber.



W. W. ANNABLE.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLlCATION mu) MAR. 4. 1915.

WARREN W. ANNABLE. OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed March 4, 1915. Serial No. 12,049.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, \Yxinnix \V. ;\.\'.\A- 151., a citizen of the United States of America. residing at tirand Rapids. in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have i ..veittcd certain new and useful improvements in Shock-Absorbers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a shock absorber adapted to be applied to vehicle springs.

This invention has especial application to springs of automobiles. being interposed between the ends of a spring lying transversely of the body of the automobile and connected to the supporting brackets which, in the usual mounting of said springs, have a link connection therebetween and the ends of the spring.

it is the object and purpose of this invention to construct a shock absorber and apply it to springs in such manner that the. normal tendency thereof is to draw the ends of the spring toward each other. thereby serving to camber and stitl'en the central portion of the spring. l pon the spring being subp ted to shocks the tirst effect is that the ends of the spring are carried outwardly away from each other. the shock absorber acting against this operation. This will tend to relieve the spring and at the saute time will furnish an auxiliary cushioning device adapted to take up and receive the tirst shock to which springs in vehicles are. continuously subjected during the operation thereof.

My invention also is of great utility in preventing side sway of the body of the vehicle which usually occurs to a marked extent with springs mounted in the manner above noted.

Further objects and purposes will be made clear upon understanding being had of the embodiment disclosed in the accompanying drawing in whichz Figure 1 is an elevation showing an automobile spring equipped at each end with my improved shock absorber. Fig. .5 is a vertical sectional view taken through one end of the spring and the shock absorber connected therewith. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the two housing members used to retain the spring of the shock absorber; and

l'ig. t is an enlarged side elevation of a housing member.

Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

in the embodiment shown in the drawings casing 1 inclosing the rear axle of an automobile has at each end hub casings :2 of the usual construction from which project brackets t each having a pin 1 at its upper end extending horizontally therethrough and supporting a pair of links I. These links extend downwardly and inwardly and at their lower ends carrv a pin (3 around which is turned the loop 7 of the lower leaf 8 of a leaf spring i which lies above the axle substatitially the full length thereof. The body of the automobile is supported at its front and rear by transverse springs of this or similar type and the construction described is a common and well known construction used in connecting the springs supporting the body to the running gear of the vehicle.

In my shock absorber there are provided a pair of housing members at each end of the spring. lach housing member includes a body it) in which an elongated opening it is formed of a size and shape. adapted to receive one of the links 5. -\t its upper end body it) is extended upwardly and inwardly and made considerably thicker as indicated at 1'2 being thereafter formed into a semi cylindrical cap 13 provided with a top 1 as shown. transverse opening it is made through the thickenedsection 1:2 and a similar opening to is made through the he wardly extending projection it formed at the lower end of the body i In applying the shock a sorber to a vehicle spring two of these housing members are used and positioncd one over each link The openings i-t of the two members thereupon arc in alinement amt a bolt 17 may be inserted to secure the housing members firmly in position. The device as a whole may now be turned on this bolt 17 serving to elevate the parts 13 permitting the insertion of a strong coil spring 1h between the top 1 and the upper surface of the l af spring 9. After the spring is inserted the device as a whole is rotated downwardly about the bolt 17 until openings 15 are positioned below the lower leaf N of the spring and then a bolt- 19 is inserted through said openings and secured in place. This bolt under the inllueuce of spring 15 normally bears against the under surface of the leaf 5' aml the spring 18 is under compression.

h'pring lb is of great strength and its tendency umler compression is to force the cap which houses it away from the spring 9. turning the links 5 on the pin f and forcing the lower ends thereof inwardly. \\'ith a device of this character applied at each end of a spring it will be evident that there is a continual pressure exerted by the coil springs 1H temling to bring the ends of spring 5' toward each other to elevate and stitlen the middle portion of said spring. .\t the same time there is a horizontal component to the spring lb acting against any side sway of the spring 9 and the body carried thereby. the links I) being ilnpelled inwardly at their lower ends by springs 15 which tend to resist any outward swing of the lower ends of said links which must take place in the case of side sway.

line drawn between the ends of the links 5 will lie at approxin'iately -l-3 degrees to the vertical. .\s the vehicle is arried over roads the shocks to which the spring 9 is subjected first result in the outward movement of the ends of the springs and a cor responding compression of the spring lb.

it the compression of the coil springs li is sulliciently great the lower edges of the caps containing the springs will come into cote tactv with the upper sides of the spring i after which the vehicle spring El will act as though the attached shock absorber was not present but upon return after the shock the caps containing the coil springs 15 occupy their normal positions holding the links 5 in normal position to the vertical.

.\fter vehicle springs of the character shown have een used for some time the links carrying them gradually approach a nearly vertical position and take such position when a shock is transmitted to the spring. The spring thereupon becomes "dead and does not have resiliency to properly take care of the shock. \Yhen equipped with my invention the links sup porting the ends of the spring are always nntintained at an angle to the vertical insuring against any deadening ell'ect before noted.

The coi'tstruction described is simple and easily manufactured. It is easily applied to springs of this type without disassembling any parts of the vehicle. The housing parts slip over the links and are readily connected together by the bolts 17 and 1 as heretofore described making an especially convenient and easy attachment of the shock absorber to the vehicle spring.

Various modifications in detail may be resorted to without departing from the invention defined in the appended claims and all modifications falling within the scope of said claims are to be considered as comprehended within my invention.

lclaimr 1. In combination. a support. spaced apart links depending front the support. a leaf spring carried at one end by and between the lower ends of the links. housing members positioned one over each link. means connecting the members together above the leaf spring. means connecting the mem ers together below the leaf spring and a coil spring umler c mpression interposed between the upper side of the leaf spring and the connected housing members. substantially as descri ed.

1. ln combination. a support. spaced apartlinks depending from the support, a leaf spring carried at one end by and between the lower ends of the links. housing members each including a body having an elongated opening positioned one at either side of the leaf spring. the links passing through said openings. a semi-cylindrical extension to each housing member extending over the leaf-spring. means for connecting the housing members together above the leaf spring. a bolt lying below the leaf spring and connecting the housing members. and a eoil-spring positioned between the upper side of the leaf spring and the cap formed by the semi-cylindrieal extensions. substantially as described.

.\n article of manufacture comprising a body having an elongated opening therein, an extension to the body projecting from one of its ends and terminating in a semicylindrical housing member. and an extension projecting from the other end of the body in the same direction as the first ex tension. transverse openings being provided in both extensions. substantially as de-' t. In eombination.-a leaf spring. supports atv either end thereof. links connected to and lying between the ends of the spring and the supports. a coil spring bearing against the upper side of the leaf spring at each end. and a housing for the spring carried by the links and provided with means for forcing the said coil springs againstthe leaf spring. substantially as described.

3. in combination spaced apart supporting brackets. a leaf spring lying between the brackets. a coil spring on the upper side of the leaf spring at. each end thereof. a housing for each coil spring. a pair of spaced apart body members connected to each housing and interposed between each support and the adjacent end of the leaf spring. an inwardly extending projection to each body member, and a member connecting the ex tensions. said member passing below the leaf spring.

6. In combination. a leaf spring. supports at either end thereof, links connected to and lying between the ends of the opening and the supports, and means located above each end of the spring connected with the links and tending to force the lower ends thereof inwardly, to camber the leaf spring, sub stantially as described.

7. In combination, a leaf spring, supports at either end thereof, a coil spring on the upper side of the leaf spring at each end thereof, a housing for each spring, and a -pair of spaced apart body members connected to each housing and interposed between each support and the ends of the leaf spring, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VARREN W. ANNABLE.

Witnesses:

FRANK E. LIVERANCE, Jr., H. H. YARRINGTON. 

